The Edward H. Benenson Foundation concentrates its philanthropy on arts and higher education, with large, targeted grants rather than broad small-dollar giving. In recent years the foundation has directed substantial multi-year support to opera production (notably Palm Beach Opera) and to scholarship assistance at an elite university (Duke), indicating a preference for sustaining performing-arts organizations and funding student aid at established higher-education institutions.
Edward H Benenson Foundation Inc. has made recurring six-figure support for two clear anchors: opera production and student aid at Duke University. In 2023, the foundation gave $200,000 each to Palm Beach Opera for assistance with opera productions and to Duke University for scholarship assistance for students, then continued both relationships in later years. Palm Beach Opera received another $100,000 in 2024 and $25,000 in 2025. Duke University received $60,000 in 2023, $60,000 in 2024, $60,000 in 2025 for the arts, and $100,000 in 2025 for scholarship assistance for students. That pattern shows a funder willing to return to the same institutions across years, with larger commitments directed to established arts and higher-education organizations. The grants list also includes support for hospitals, Jewish community organizations, animal welfare groups, and youth-serving nonprofits, but the clearest throughline is institution-level funding for arts and education. The foundation’s activity combines major project support with smaller awards, suggesting a mix of headline grants and regular program or general support within a relatively focused portfolio.
Opera production is one of the foundation’s most visible priorities. Palm Beach Opera received $200,000 in 2023 for assistance with opera productions, followed by $100,000 in 2024 and $25,000 in 2025 for the same purpose. Higher education is another recurring area: Duke University received $200,000 in 2023 for scholarship assistance for students, then additional awards in 2024 and 2025, including a $60,000 grant in 2025 for the arts. Beyond those anchors, the foundation has supported healthcare institutions such as Stamford Hospital Foundation with grants of $30,000 in 2023, $25,000 in 2024, and $35,000 in 2025 to support the hospital. It also made a $20,000 grant in 2025 to Animal Medical Center for support, showing that its giving extends beyond arts and education to institutional and charitable needs.
Typical awards are modest, with a p25 of $2,500, a median of $5,000, and a p75 of $10,000. The recent grants list shows a pattern of repeat support to the same organizations across multiple years, especially for arts and higher education, rather than one-off gifts only. The foundation is a regular funder, not a donor-advised fund, and it also funds individuals. Program-related investments are not part of the profile. The mix of a few large six-figure grants and many smaller awards points to a layered approach: major institutional support at the top end, plus routine grants at the lower end.
$2.2M
$15.7M
$1.5M
$2.2M
Most grants fall between $3K and $10K, with a median of $5K.
25th Percentile
$3K
Median
$5K
75th Percentile
$10K
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Concentrated giving: a small number of large grants focused on repeat, multi-grant support to a few flagship organizations rather than many small or one-off gifts.
Notable grantees: Palm Beach Opera, Duke University
Grant recipients are entirely in the United States. New York appears most often, with recipients in New York, Brooklyn, Purchase, and other in-state locations, and 46% of grants go to recipients in the HQ state. Other recurring recipient locations include West Palm Beach, Florida; Durham, North Carolina; Stamford, Connecticut; and Providence, Rhode Island. The distribution suggests a regional footprint centered on the Northeast, with additional grants reaching Florida and a smaller number of other states.
The foundation supports arts and higher education, and its recent grants also include hospitals, Jewish community organizations, animal welfare groups, and youth-serving nonprofits. Recent examples include opera production support, scholarship assistance for students, and support for hospital and charity programs.
Typical grants are relatively small compared with the largest awards: the p25 is $2,500, the median is $5,000, and the p75 is $10,000. The recent grant list also includes larger six-figure awards for selected institutions.
Yes. The recent grants show repeated support to the same recipients across multiple years, including Palm Beach Opera, Duke University, Stamford Hospital Foundation, and Ymha - Kings Bay Y. Some of these relationships recur in consecutive years.
New York is the top state by grant count, and 46% of grants go to recipients in the HQ state. Recent New York-area recipients include organizations in New York, Brooklyn, and Purchase.
The clearest focus areas are opera production support and scholarship aid at Duke University. The grant list also shows support for healthcare institutions, youth programs, religious and educational programs, animal welfare, and general charitable support.
2026
Source: IRS Form 990-PF, fiscal year 2026.
Most recent grants reported to the IRS.
| Recipient | Location | Amount | Year | Purpose |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| DUKE UNIVERSITY | DURHAM, NC | $200,000 | 2026 | SCHOLARSHIP ASSIST FOR STUDENTS |
| CENTRAL PARK MEDICAL UNIT | NEW YORK, NY | $150,000 | 2026 | NEW AMBULANCE |
| ROBIN HOOD | NEW YORK, NY | $50,000 | 2026 | SUPPORT |
| PALM BEACH OPERA | WEST PALM BEACH, FL | $50,000 | 2026 | ASSITANCE W/OPERA PRODUCTIONS |
| BROWN RISD HILLEL | PROVIDENCE, RI | $50,000 | 2026 | SUPPORT |
| MADISON JEWISH CENTER | BROOKLYN, NY | $50,000 | 2026 | SUPPORT THE CHARITY |
| CITIZENS COMMITEE FOR CHILD | NEW YORK, NY | $40,000 | 2026 | PROGRAM SUPPORT |
| STAMFORD HOSPITAL FOUNDATION | STANFORD, CT | $35,000 | 2026 | SUPPORT THE HOSPITAL |
| BEST FRIENDS ANIMAL SOCIETY | KANAS, UT | $25,000 | 2026 | SUPPORT |
| COGENERATE | SAN FRANCISCO, CA | $25,000 | 2026 | SUPPORT |
| ANIMAL MEDICAL CENTER | NEW YORK, NY | $20,000 | 2026 | SUPPORT |
| BROWN UNIVERSITY | PROVIDENCE, RI | $20,000 | 2026 | FOR GENERAL PURPOSE |
| WILDLIFE CONSERVATION SOCIETY | BOULDER, CO | $15,000 | 2026 | PROGRAM SUPPORT |
| NY BOTANIACAL GARDEN | BRONX, NY | $15,000 | 2026 | ASSITANCE W/EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMS |
| GEORGETOWN LAW | WASHINGTON, DC | $12,500 | 2026 | EDUCATION |
| JED FOUNDATION | NEW YORK, NY | $10,000 | 2026 | SUPPORT |
| EDUCATION THROUGH MUSIC | NEW YORK, NY | $10,000 | 2026 | CHARITY |
| BEST FRIENDS ANIMAL SOCIETY | KANAB, UT | $10,000 | 2026 | SUPPORT |
| WESTCHESTER LAND TRUST | BEDFORD HILLS, NY | $10,000 | 2026 | SUPPORT |
| ANIMAL MEDICAL CENTER | NEW YORK, NY | $10,000 | 2026 | SUPPORT |
| HATZOLAH | BROOKLYN, NY | $10,000 | 2026 | SUPPORT |
| ANIMAL MEDICAL CENTER | NEW YORK, NY | $10,000 | 2026 | SUPPORT |
| CROHN'S & COLITIS FOUNDATION | NEW YORK, NY | $10,000 | 2026 | SUPPORT |
| REFUGEES INTERNATIONAL | WASHINGTON, DC | $6,000 | 2026 | SUPPORT |
| RYE YMCA | RYE, NY | $5,000 | 2026 | SUPPORT |
| NANTUCKET COMMUNITY SALING | NANTUCKET, MA | $5,000 | 2026 | SUPPORT THE CHARITY |
| NISHA | NANTUCKET, MA | $5,000 | 2026 | SUPPORT THE ANIMALS |
| CARNEGIE HALL CORP | NEW YORK, NY | $5,000 | 2026 | PROGRAM SUPPORT |
| MARINHEALTH FOUNDATION | GREENBRAE, CA | $5,000 | 2026 | SUPPORT |
| PURCHASE COLLEGE FOUNDATION | PURCHASE, NY | $5,000 | 2026 | SUPPORT |
| GREAT HARBOR YACHT CLUB FOUNDATION | NANTUCKET, MA | $5,000 | 2026 | SUPPORT |
| NANTUCKET COTTAGE HOSPITAL | NANTUCKET, MA | $5,000 | 2026 | SUPPORT |
| EDUCATION THROUGH MUSIC | NEW YORK, NY | $5,000 | 2026 | CHARITY |
| NANTUCKET CONSERVATION FOUNDATION | NANYUCKET, MA | $5,000 | 2026 | ASSITANCE W/EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMS |
| NANTUCKET COTTAGE HOSPITAL | NANTUCKET, MA | $5,000 | 2026 | SUPPORT |
| STORM KING ART CENTER | NEW WINDSOR, NY | $5,000 | 2026 | SUPPORT THE CHARITY |
| GUIDE DOG FOUNDATION | SMITHTOWN, NY | $4,000 | 2026 | SUPPORT |
| ASPCA | NEW YORK, NY | $3,500 | 2026 | GENERAL ASSITANCE TO ANIMALS |
| CIRCUIT ARTS | VINEYARD HAVEN, MA | $2,500 | 2026 | SUPPORT |
| OBAMA FOUNDATION | CHICAGO, IL | $2,500 | 2026 | GENERAL |
| EQUAL JUSTICE INITIATIVE | MONTGOMERY, AL | $2,500 | 2026 | SUPPORT |
| LUNGEVITY FOUNDATION | CHICAGO, IL | $2,500 | 2026 | SUPPORT |
| EQUITY ARC | CINCINNATI, OH | $1,000 | 2026 | SUPPORT |
| NANTUCKET PRESERVATION TRUST | NANTUCKET, MA | $1,000 | 2026 | ASSITANCE W/EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMS |
| SUSTAINABLE NANTUCKET | NANTUCKET, MA | $1,000 | 2026 | SUPPORT |
| NANTUCKET SHELLFISH ASSOCIATION | NANTUCKET, MA | $1,000 | 2026 | SUPPORT FOR CHARITY |
| DUKE UNIVERSITY | DURHAM, NC | $100,000 | 2025 | SCHOLARSHIP ASSIST FOR STUDENTS |
| DUKE UNIVERSITY | DURHAM, NC | $60,000 | 2025 | FOR THE ARTS |
| ROBIN HOOD | NEW YORK, NY | $60,000 | 2025 | SUPPORT |
| BROWN RISD HILLEL | PROVIDENCE, RI | $50,000 | 2025 | SUPPORT |
CENTRAL PARK MEDICAL UNIT
$150,000NEW AMBULANCE
BROWN RISD HILLEL
$50,000SUPPORT
MADISON JEWISH CENTER
SUPPORT THE CHARITY
CITIZENS COMMITEE FOR CHILD
$40,000PROGRAM SUPPORT
BROWN UNIVERSITY
$20,000FOR GENERAL PURPOSE
WILDLIFE CONSERVATION SOCIETY
$15,000PROGRAM SUPPORT
JED FOUNDATION
$10,000SUPPORT
HATZOLAH
$10,000SUPPORT
RYE YMCA
$5,000SUPPORT
NANTUCKET COMMUNITY SALING
$5,000SUPPORT THE CHARITY
NISHA
$5,000SUPPORT THE ANIMALS
NANTUCKET COTTAGE HOSPITAL
$5,000SUPPORT
NANTUCKET COTTAGE HOSPITAL
$5,000SUPPORT
CIRCUIT ARTS
$2,500SUPPORT
EQUITY ARC
$1,000SUPPORT
NANTUCKET PRESERVATION TRUST
$1,000ASSITANCE W/EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMS
SUSTAINABLE NANTUCKET
$1,000SUPPORT
NANTUCKET SHELLFISH ASSOCIATION
$1,000SUPPORT FOR CHARITY
BROWN RISD HILLEL
$50,000SUPPORT